Emu Hatch - Will it Happen?

[Rockporters]

Open the last egg. After opening the other one, had a feeling something wasn’t right for E3. Glad I didn’t wait.

All 4 had zero development.

Learning quite a bit from this for the next batch coming in. I’m going to assume the “leaning” to the pointed end needs to have more leaning than what I saw in the last two. The cool down test will probably need to be almost hot on the end if there’s a chick growing, not just warm.

But you have first hand experience with a chick actually developing. Was there a difference with the tests for you on each egg?

Oh, I’m so sorry! What a bummer. It’s so disappointing, I was hoping you’d have better luck than I did.

So, those tests... had exactly the same results for developing and not developing. There weren’t any differences, other than no wiggling, until the last few days. I’d say those tests don’t hold much weight for proving life. BUT maybe if there is no tilt or warmth they can prove no life, instead of trying to rely on them to prove life?

My eggs lost the exact same % of weight all along. At the end, they’d both lost about 13%. So, weight differences or fluctuations aren’t always an available indicator either.

 

[Rockporters]

I didn’t open E3 yet, but I did do a safety hole on E2. Then realized there’s nothing in it. No emu to be found.

So... this makes me think that some of the tests I won’t be able to rely on. It stayed warm on the leaning side after 5 minutes. Noticeably. It also leaned considerably on the pointed end.

I’m sure there would be a huge difference if there was a growing embryo. But I don’t have that to compare to. I’m guessing I will have the same results with E3. As the tests were the same result.

BUT.... She is sending me 4 more eggs that were laid today at no charge! Made today/this week soooo much better. After the truck accident, finding one of my chickens dead, and not having emu babies... this was wonderful to hear. Should have them Friday maybe?

Yay for the new eggs! Hopefully her emu were liking each other a bit more this round.

I am so sorry about your chicken! Accident—hope you’re okay and didn’t get hurt!!

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Are your new potential babies in the incubator? Should join the March hatchalong ill start it Friday afternoon. Once the new eggs are weighed and started.

After what you read on FB, are you going to try that method?

 

[Rockporters]

Are your new potential babies in the incubator? Should join the March hatchalong ill start it Friday afternoon. Once the new eggs are weighed and started.

After what you read on FB, are you going to try that method?

They are not in the incubator yet! Friday at the earliest. The goofy USPS did NOT hold the box at the Post Office for signature, which is an add on the shipper paid for. So, the eggs sat outside my front door from Saturday until Monday night. In the rain. In the 20 degree nighttime cold. In the warm 40 degree sun. WTH? It really irks me when people can't do their job, it just can't be that difficult! We aren't off to a great start.

I don't know about the whole humidity thing. Given what I know, that the other eggs were at 18% humidity for much of the time and didn't lose quite enough weight... I'm hesitant. Granted we didn't end up with a live chick, but we were so close. I have to think we did something right? On the flip side, chicken eggs seem to do better when you forget about them. Maybe the same is true for emu eggs lol.

How about you? Same strategy as last time? Or set it and forget it?

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

They are not in the incubator yet! Friday at the earliest. The goofy USPS did NOT hold the box at the Post Office for signature, which is an add on the shipper paid for. So, the eggs sat outside my front door from Saturday until Monday night. In the rain. In the 20 degree nighttime cold. In the warm 40 degree sun. WTH? It really irks me when people can't do their job, it just can't be that difficult! We aren't off to a great start.

I don't know about the whole humidity thing. Given what I know, that the other eggs were at 18% humidity for much of the time and didn't lose quite enough weight... I'm hesitant. Granted we didn't end up with a live chick, but we were so close. I have to think we did something right? On the flip side, chicken eggs seem to do better when you forget about them. Maybe the same is true for emu eggs lol.

How about you? Same strategy as last time? Or set it and forget it?

Bummer with your eggs! I don’t understand how they can mess that up. Especially when there are specific instruction. Hoping they don’t mess mine up too. The breeder also marks for them to be held at the post office, but last time the mail man handed them to me. Holding the box upside down.

As for incubating them, going to set them in the incubator (different one, but not the Brinsea I want to get) at 98 degrees, not add water and weigh them in 7 days. I won’t be doing the everyday weigh in for the first week like I did last time. After the 7 days I’ll adjust humidity if it needs it and weigh again in a week.

They left Texas this morning, so should have them Friday morning. I’ll let them settle all day and put them in Friday evening. March 21st should be hatch day. If there are things to hatch this time

 

[Rockporters]

Bummer with your eggs! I don’t understand how they can mess that up. Especially when there are specific instruction. Hoping they don’t mess mine up too. The breeder also marks for them to be held at the post office, but last time the mail man handed them to me. Holding the box upside down.

As for incubating them, going to set them in the incubator (different one, but not the Brinsea I want to get) at 98 degrees, not add water and weigh them in 7 days. I won’t be doing the everyday weigh in for the first week like I did last time. After the 7 days I’ll adjust humidity if it needs it and weigh again in a week.

They left Texas this morning, so should have them Friday morning. I’ll let them settle all day and put them in Friday evening. March 21st should be hatch day. If there are things to hatch this time

Right?!? My phone number was on the box, too, and he even wrote to hold at the post office. All that was in addition to actually paying for signature confirmation.

Your incubator is still air, right? Have you setup the new one yet? Do you have to make any modifications so the eggs will fit?

I am probably going do the same approach as you, except set for 97. I'll weigh and reevaluate after a week.

If things don't work out this time, I am done for this year. It's just too hard to go through it and be disappointed.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Right?!? My phone number was on the box, too, and he even wrote to hold at the post office. All that was in addition to actually paying for signature confirmation.

Your incubator is still air, right? Have you setup the new one yet? Do you have to make any modifications so the eggs will fit?

I am probably going do the same approach as you, except set for 97. I'll weigh and reevaluate after a week.

If things don't work out this time, I am done for this year. It's just too hard to go through it and be disappointed.

I won’t be trying again for a while if these don’t happen. $400 on scrambled eggs is a lot.

I have two staggered hatching chicken eggs in the incubator I want to put the emu eggs in. It’s a forced air incubator, so might have better luck? So it has to be handled just right. The first half of the chickens go into lock down today. I’ll put them in the still air incubator until they hatch. Then as soon as the emu eggs get here, I’ll put the other half of the remaining eggs in the still air. They will be a couple days early for lock down, but they should be fine.

That’s the reason I didn’t wait for the last emu egg. I knew it was a dud after opening E2. Wanted to shift gears for the chickens and make room in the forced air incubator. Hope I can get this timed just right

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

4 eggs arrived this morning. 2 are broken. One is in a pan being cooked right now. Technically a $100 breakfast... so not a good start for me either. They didn’t get held at the post office and went out on the delivery truck for a bit.

2 eggs to work with now. Going to start a March hatch along a little early so the emus can be included

 

[aart]

One is in a pan being cooked right now. Technically a $100 breakfast

Bummer!

But how do they taste?

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Bummer!

But how do they taste?

VERY eggy tasting. It cooks much different than chicken or duck eggs. Leaves weird globs of gelatin here and there, even when fully cooked. Being so used to regular chicken eggs, almost didn’t like it. Dogs loved it though lol

Was not about to let an egg that size go to waste!